I work at a law enforcement supply store. Guns, ammo, body armor, OC, mace, car equipment, apparel, we have it all, or a least can get it if you need it. Despite the title, my story is by no means meant to be political argument for or against guns. It's just... well, you'll see.

Before starting working where I work now, I only had limited experience with guns, firearms, weapons, etc. I was nervous as all get out to work behind the gun counter. One of the people training me, laid some ground rules about handling firearms that should always be followed. These rules are:

1) The weapon is always loaded.

2) Even when you know the weapon is unloaded. It's always loaded.

3) Always point the weapon at a safe direction. Never at someone. See rules 1 and 2 for why.

4) When handing a weapon over to someone, make sure the slide/bolt is locked back and present the arms to them with the chamber so they can see that it's cleared.

5) When a weapon is handed to you, always clear it. See rules 1 and 2.

6) Never point a firearm at something that you don't intend to kill. There is no such thing as shooting to injure.

7) Finger is never on the trigger unless you are ready to kill whatever it is you are pointing at.

I also developed a habit of not walking in front of pointed weapon. People will take a weapon and look down the sights usually aiming at the back counter wall. I would wait to the side for them to raise or lower the weapon due to rules 1 and 2 (notice a theme?). Most people will drop sight line, raise the weapon's barrel to point at the ceiling, lower the weapon down, etc to let me pass. Cool, no problem.

My first day behind the gun counter, and the first customer I had behind there wanted to see a Glock 17. I remove the weapon from the case, clear it, locked the slide back, handed it to him and the proceeded to let the slide forward and take aim to see how it fit in his hands. Problem? He was pointing it right at me. I moved to the side to get out of the line of "fire" and he followed me.

Me: "Sir, could you please not point the weapon at me?"

Him: "Why? It's not loaded."

Me: "I don't care, please don't point the weapon at me."

Him: "Stop being such a..."

At this point, a co-worker who's been there for 10+ years reaches out, grabs the slide from the top, breaks the guy's grip and tells him to leave.

Him: "Why do I have to leave?"

Coworker: "Because you aren't being safe with the weapon. You need to leave now."

Him: "Fuck you. I want to see a manager."

Fine. My coworker calls out a name. Down at the other end of the counter, is the President of the company. The name called was his. My coworker tells the president what just happened, including the "fuck you" part. The president looks at me asks if I did have a gun pointed at me.

"Yes sir."

He asked the customer if he did point the gun at me.

"Yeah, but it was unloaded."

The president looks at the guy and says matter of factly, "Get the fuck out of my store and don't come back."

The guy started to cause a slight ruckus about it, saying that he shouldn't be talking to a customer that way, which was meet with a reply of, "You stopped being a customer when you pointed a gun at one of my employees."

The guy wasn't moving and was getting more and more angry. Since we are cater to Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) and military, we usually have a sheriff, police officer, constable, state police, and/or federal agent in store at any given time. The president pointed out that right now the guy is trespassing and disturbing the public and that there's five officers looking at him, ready to take him out of the store and to downtown/jail if he doesn't leave now.

Officers were watching the scene unfold and were just waiting. I never seen so many different people from different agencies waiting to bust some jerk's ass.

Comments

Methinks the OP's version of Gun Control is keeping both hands on the gun at all times. (Not being political, this post just reminded me of that saying)

I was once married to a cop, and my stepfather is an armed security guard for one of the biggest aerospace companies in the US. They both taught me 1,2, and 6 as a matter of course. (7 was part of 6 in our lessons, 3 was considered part and parcel of 1 and 2, and the ones about customers don't apply in my case)

You never point a weapon of any fashion at a person. Period. That idiot could have gotten someone killed. I'm GLAD he's "never coming here again". Hope he didn't, OP.

This is as close to a retail balls award I've ever seen the President of the Company get. ;)

TechTyger: Nope, this is the listing. The 'Acts Of Gord' website is an archive of anecdotes from the guy who owned Gamer's Edge video store in Penticton BC, Canada. I visited there often when my Grandpa lived in Kelowna (just north up the Okanagan valley), even met "The Gord" a few times. Showing my age by admitting this, though.